In a wireless communications system, user equipment needs to be equipped with a user identity module, which is referred to as a subscriber identity module (SIM) in the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM for short) standard, as a user identity module (UIM for short) in the Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA for short) standard, and as a universal subscriber identity module (USIM for short) in the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS for short) standard. Currently, the foregoing user identity module exists in a form of a physical card, and the user equipment can be used only after the card is inserted into the user equipment.
With development of technologies, a virtual identity module has been introduced, that is, a user identity module in a form of data, where a card in a physical form does not need to be inserted into a mobile phone, and instead, content of the user identity module in a form of data is downloaded and stored in a secure storage area of the mobile phone, to achieve a same effect as that of a physical SIM card. In addition, use of the virtual identity module does not rely on a slot that is reserved for a SIM card in a process of manufacturing a mobile phone, and multiple virtual identity modules can be used in one mobile phone more conveniently.
In a current solution, a user obtains multiple virtual identity modules directly from operations support systems of different operators by using user equipment, or obtains one or more virtual identity modules directly from one operator. When a fund in a virtual identity module is insufficient, the user recharges the virtual identity module by using an operations support system, resulting in a monotonous recharging manner, a lack of flexibility, and low convenience.